A Studied Look

...bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph 6:4)



Though he has yet to make use of the finer points of English lexicon and syntax, this look betrays a deeper and studied approach to important matters.

It says something to the effect of, "Mommy, I know I am cute, but right now I am reviewing Merkle's fine study on the use of ἐπίσκοπος and πρεσβύτερος in the New Testament and cannot be bothered. May I have another cup of coffee... or at least some smashed bananas?"

Malachi: His Name will be Great!

"For from the rising of the sun even to its setting, My name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense is going to be offered to My name, and a grain offering that is pure; for My name will be great among the nations,” says the Lord of hosts. (Mal 1:11)

Faith without works is dead. And works without faith is an abomination says Yahweh of hosts through the prophet Malachi. To His glory and by His grace, I recently completed seven expositions through this heart-searching prophet:

The Delight of Sovereign Love (Mal 1:1-15)

Closing the Door on Hidden Hypocrisy (Mal 1:6-14)

The Ministers We Need (Mal 2:1-9)

Divorcing God (Mal 2:10-16)

God the Just and the Justifier (Mal 2:17-3:5)

Repent unto Joy (Mal 3:6-12)

Looking through Future Righteousness (Mal 3:13-4:6)

His tenacious directness condemned, convicted, and consoled as my sight was lifted from earth-bound myopia to the eternal expanse of God’s glory. God has kindly preserved Malachi in the canon of His Word, so that His people might neither forget Him nor His glorious purposes in the banality of perfunctory religion. Malachi’s prophesy calls-out to the Church of Christ,"coram Deo!".

Baldwin summarized Malachi in this way:

Malachi’s remarkable ethical thrust has lost none of its cutting edge through the passing of time. His teaching, both negative and positive, strikes at the heart of nominal, easy-going Christianity as it did at that of Judaism (Haggai, Zechariah, Malachi, 218).

Malachi was blood-earnest against the active apathy of his day and it is our prayer that Yahweh of hosts, for Whom he prophesied, may cause His Church to simmer with the same blood-earnestness today.